"Shades Of Roses" ©

This is the second painting for the Descanso Rose show. It's not my usual work, so it was fun, hard and I had to drudge up my experience from a workshop years ago that fortunately included painting roses. Learning is never wasted.

A note for painters: The key that I was after here was gathering the "light" by using series grays. Without the grays the light would be diluted, creating just a bright painting without any teeth. Because it's out of the box for me, it was a bit difficult, but I am sure that the same principle would work in a landscape. Once I have finished the few paintings that I have in process, I want to take a landscape and key the whole thing in grays first, then add the light and see if I can't create a more interesting landscape then my usual job. Usually I use a value range to gain depth and light, using grays will be very interesting. If this works and I can grasp the concept, my painting will hit a new level.

Oil on canvas, 24" x 20"

"Glorious Roses" ©

Today was the ninth day since I lifted a paint brush. Bronchitis struck with fury, knocking me flat. Boy, did I learn a lot. Days are not short at all, I just pack to much into each and every one. You can be off line for a week and nothing horrible happens. And finally I learned what it's like to be sick and will have more compassion and understanding.

In a couple of weeks I'll be participating in a Rose only show at Descanso Gardens. So a nice way to get the brush moving without too much thought was to play in the petals.

I am still off, and from the amount of effort it took to paint today, I know it will be a few more days till I am "me" again.

Oil on canvas, 24" X 20"

"Winter Rose" ©

Walking past the row of roses that lines the dirt driveway, this beauty caught my eye. I was packing for a run up to the Sierra's to paint before the holidays consume me. Throwing caution to the wind, I played in the paint and had fun painting all of the shades of this lovely winter rose.

Oil on panel, 5" X 7"

I'll be off line until Monday, there are no phones or Internet access in the woods, thank goodness.